Improved process of forming letters, characters



dotted some patent chitin-2.

CHARLES M. STRAUSS, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

Letters Patent No. 95,617, dated October 5, 1869.

DEPROvED PROCESS OI FORMING- LETTBRS, CHARACTERS, AND ORNAMENT-S OR GLASS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the name To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Onsunns M. STRAUSS, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby, and State of Tennessee,

, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements ters of any kind on glass, by means of acid; and

The invention consists in a new and improved method of accomplishing the same, whereby the process is rendered much cheaper,,more expeditious, and accurate, as hereinafter explained.

It is well known that hydrofluoric acid will act upon the surface of glass, and efforts have been made to form letters and ornaments on glass, by first covering the surface of the glass with a coating of wax, asphaltum, or other material that would resist the action of the acid, and then removing the wax or protectingcoat from those port-ions oi the surface of the glass upon which it was desired to havethc acid act, the same as in etching metallic plates. This process is both slow and imperfect. In order to form the letters or characters with the required accuracy, a professional person or expert had to be employed, and when letters or ornaments of much breadth of surface were to be made, much time was employed in removing the wax or protecting-coat, and even then more or less was apt to be left adhering'in spots, thereby rendering the operation imperfect. v

My invention has for its object the preventing or removing of these difficulties; and my process is as follows:

I procure a set of letters or type, of the size and style desired, made preferably of sheet-lead, and lay them on the surface of the glass-in the required order to form the words or sentences Idesireto-form'. These letters may be held in place by weights, hr by a rod resting on them, and fastened at the ondsby clips, or in any. similar manner, care being takento press their edges all around in close contact with the surface of the glass. I then cover the remaining portion of the surface of the glass, or that not occnpied'by the letters or characters, with a coating of any suitable material,

preferably of melted par-affine. As soon as the paraffine beconieshardered or solidified, I remove the letters or characters, which, of course, leaves corresponding spaces on the glass exposed. These exposed spaces are then treated with the solution of hydrofluoric acid in the usual manner, the letters being formed on the glass by. having its surface eaten awav at the exposed points by the acid.

. It is obvious that all forms and styles of letters vor types may be used, the same as in printing, and that the most highly ornamental letters can be formed with the same ease,-1apidity, and accuracy-as the plainest and most common ones; and, asit is only necessary to set or place them properly on the glass, the operation can be performed by unskilled persons, by women and children, as readily and rapidly as bythe artists or professional parties heretofore employed, and with even greater amuracy. In this way, door-plates, signs, or advertisements on glass doors, windows, and

all similar articles, can he produced in a most elegant and artistic manner, and at a very cheap and rapid rate.

It is obvious that this plan may also be applied in producing ornmnental figures of any kind on glass.

Imitatious of fruits, flowers, animals, human figures, any and everything bf the kind, may he thus formed, it only being necessary to provide the required typein the first instance. In this way,'glass-ware of all kinds may behighly ornamented at a nominal cost,

the type or designs once produced being capable of being used indefinitely.

Any other material that can be fitted snugly to 'the glass may he used for the type or designs; but sheetlead is well adapted to the purpose, as it can be so readily and perfectly brought in contact with the surface of the glass.

' Having thus described my invention,

What 1 claim, is- 1. The herein-described process of forming letters,

characters, or ornaments on glass.

2. Theuse of movable type, characters, figures, or designs of any kind, in combination with parafline or any equivalent material, for the production on glass at letters, characters, or ornaments, in the manner substantially as herein described.

CHAS. M. STRAUSS;

Witnesses:

W. O. DODQE, Farm '1. Doves. 

